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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: track · plane · pop · stock · snap · club · wax · pass

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. track — a song
  4. club — for golf
  5. plane — a tool
  6. club — for dancing
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. track — to keep track
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. wax — to grow
  14. pop — music
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — goods
  17. pop — soda
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — a permit
  21. club — a group
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. track — a path
  24. snap — to click

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com